Favorite targets include planets, the moon

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November 29, 2011

As promised, I'm going to share some of my all-time favorite targets with you.

The planet Venus is near the top of my list and is currently an easy catch sitting high in the southwest after sunset.

In the next four months, Venus will make what seems like a mad dash through the constellations Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries and Taurus. That's a lot of sky to cover, and if you carefully watch Venus as it moves through the stars you'll be amazed.

Venus is extremely bright right now but will be at its most brilliant on April 30, when it will sit in the horns of Taurus the bull.

Another favorite target is the moon.

A lot of sky watchers don't care for the moon so much because it wipes out the sky with bright lunar glare, but viewed through a telescope, the moon can be very interesting.

The full moon arrives Saturday at 8:36 a.m.

Sometimes there's nothing more beautiful and relaxing than to simply watch a full moon rise over the horizon. I highly recommend watching Saturday's full moon rise while taking a few deep breaths as a way to de-frizz before the big holiday rush arrives.

The way the full moon changes color and intensity as it slowly climbs higher in the sky is hypnotic and always a thrill to observe.